We had a great week in the temple, not terrible busy but nice and steady. We got a lot of the family names that I found done, in fact we did several sessions this week that were all my family name cards. Ross thinks I have caught the Family History bug. He calls it a good sickness. President Cardenas was telling him that one of the Stakes here is having a Family History Workshop and they are looking for people to help teach, he thought maybe I could help teach, I told Ross that is funny because if we were home that is the kind of thing I would go to so I could learn how to do Family History better, I certainly don't feel like I am qualified to teach! Although I have had the opportunity this week to work with several sisters and help them find names, this is generally Jan's job, but she is in the states playing, I mean helping with, her new grand baby, so I have had a couple of sisters come to me for help. It is an amazing feeling when you are finally able to trace a line and find some names that are ready to have the work done.
President Cardenas has planned a special session for Monday Nov. 2nd for Dia de Muertos to honor our antipasados (ancestors), this will be all the coordinators and temple leadership and he wants everyone to bring a family name. What a great idea.
Saturday evening we had a special session for one of the wads in the Amapolis Stake, this is the Stake we have been assigned to. The session was at 6:00, we are usually closed by 3:00 on Saturday, but stayed open for them, we had a great group, plus kids for baptisms. Ross and I got to lead the session, it was wonderful, afterwards we got so many hugs and heartfelt thanks, so many of these people work so hard and so many hours and just don't get a chance to come to the temple unless it is a special session like this. There is a saying in Spanish "Vale la pena" it means worth the cost or the pain, sometimes it is a pain or a sacrifice to get up and be at the temple by 6:00, like we did Saturday for the buses, and sometimes we do work long hours and are tired, and it is certainly a sacrifice to be so far away from family, but it is definitely worth it when you see the joy on peoples faces as they leave the temple uplifted spiritually, or as you help a sweet sister or brother at the veil as tears of joy stream down their face, or help as a primera vez comes to the temple for the first time and 'gets the significance' of the wonderful covenants and blessings, or we get to witness that sacred sealing ceremony as a family are promised eternal blessings. We have one sweet little gal that comes with her parents, this little gal is probably in her late 20's and is handicapped and a little bit shy, she can not speak, but you can see the intelligence and love in her eyes. She loves the temple and she knows the ordinances but she can't speak them, so whoever works with her gets to be her mouthpiece, she lets you know if you get it wrong, her spirit is so sweet and strong, her smile lights up the room, last night she came to me and gave me a big hug, it made my day. Definitely vale la pena.
Today we went to a town called Ocotlan to a branch to speak, what a cute little place, the town was a lot bigger than I thought it would be, but the branch was even smaller. We went to Ocotlan by taxi it took about 4o minutes and cost 300 pesos roughly 20 dollars, We came back in a small, very nice bus, same amount of time but the cost was 50 pesos, they dropped us off at Walmart and we had to walk the rest of the way home.
grandpa in front of the Capilla at Ocotlan
Branch President Antonio, I think he is about 25 and is still in University.
That would be quite a bit of responsibility along with a wife and being a temple worker.
Another shot of the Capilla
This is the entire Primary
We enjoyed the branch, there was a very sweet feeling there and we felt so welcomed by everyone, but then we have felt that way in every ward or branch we have visited here in Oaxaca. The people are so friendly and accepting. One more thing I can learn from these good people.
The scripture we will be ponderizing this week is found in D&C 130:22-23 if anyone wants to ponderize with us. We will be thinking about the fact that our Father in Heaven has a body of flesh and bones, the Son also, but the Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit so he can dwell in us. I will be thinking of ways to improve my life so he can be my constant companion and tarry with me always as I ponder on this scripture. I will also be thinking about the great inheritance I have as a daughter of God and of other things besides a body like His that I have inherited from Him. I hope that as I think and ponder on these and other things it will help to lock this scripture into my heart and mind for future reference.
We love each and everyone of you and hold you in our hearts, thoughts and prayers.
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